Kyle Kirkwood’s confidence soars for the Indy 500 after the best test he’s ‘ever had’

Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood wrapped up the two-day open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was scheduled for April 23 and 24. Reflecting upon the high-octane experience, the 26-year-old stated that it was the best one he has ever had.

A total of 34 drivers, including 27 full-time and seven part-time, took part in the IMS test to prepare themselves for the greatest spectacle of motor racing, i.e. Indianapolis 500, which is set to take place in 29 days.

While Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin was the fastest, Kirkwood in the No. 27 Dallara-Honda was the third (223.362 mph) in the final practice session on Thursday afternoon. He was also the second fastest on the non-tow report at 231.464 mph (morning session), which featured boost levels used in qualifying. Speaking of the high adrenaline outing at the oval, he said, via Indycar:

“That was the best initial test that I've ever had by a good margin. We were really quick on no-tow speeds, race trim and qualifying trim.

“We were really racy with some cars there, too. If you're up front, I felt like we were one of the best that could be in that top-three range,” Kirkwood added.

One of the three crown jewels of motorsports, the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 25.

Kyle Kirkwood expresses his feelings after winning Long Beach with Robert Wickens

AUTO: AUG 27 INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

During the Long Island Grand Prix weekend (April 13th), which was a joint event with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and NTT IndyCar Series Championship, Kyle Kirkwood won the race. He praised his performance analyst and driving advisor, Robert Wickens, for making his return to racing the same weekend.

Robert Wickens suffered a devastating IndyCar crash at Pocono in 2018, involving Ryan Hunter-Reay, which forced the former out of motorsports as it left him paralyzed from the waist down. However, seven years after his spinal cord injury, he made a remarkable return to competitive racing.

The Long Beach weekend was a highlight for Kyle Kirkwood as it was the first victory shared between Robert Wickens and him. Wickens' racing comeback added a special touch to the achievement.

In an interview with Racer.com, Kirkwood shared his excitement at seeing Wickens back in action and acknowledged his valuable role within the team. He said:

“It was a huge, huge weekend for him in general. So great to see him back in a car, top-tier motorsports in IMSA, something that is absolutely taken off in recent years.

"It was really cool to see that, and to cap it off for him, to get out of the car doing his own race, then come back to help us and roll out of here with a win. … He’s a big part of our team, and things are looking up for Robert Wickens,” Kirkwood said.

Kyle Kirkwood will be in action for the fourth round of the NTT IndyCar Series Championship, at the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, on May 5, 2025.